Lolth
Lolth is the Goddess of Spiders, and patron of the Drow (Dark Elven) race. She is universally feared, even by the gods. And especialy by those who were her freinds. The Bright One Lolth was one of the first generation of gods to be birthed by Pelor. She was young and beautiful then, not at all the cold, murderous fusion of woman and spider that she is today. Correlion, Lord of the Wood, looked upon her, and fell deeply in love with her. He asked her to marry him, that they might rule as Lord and Lady of Amahu. Lolth was a free soul, and thought very little of those who would tie themselves down with something like wedlock. It was a very blunt refusal. Correlion would not give up, but soon found t was to be a lengthy and exasperating courtship. At some times he grew so frustrated with her continual refusal that he was reduced to moping around Amahu's gardens, sending the servants scurrying. Lolth, for her part, found the whole affair to be intensly amusing. Correlion's attempts to woo Lolth were the gossip of Amahu, and the golden halls lit up with more laughter every time he was rebuked. Lolth refused Correlion for seven full human lifetimes. It seemed this would continue forever, until Fhralagan discovered on his travels Kuthian's citadel of Dis. The Lords of Amahu convened, and agreed that the gods must go to war. They marched over the still lifeless continent of Libra, to the edge of Dis. Lolth and Correlion were tasked with assualting the Eastern Gate of Kuthian's foul home. They broke through the door with ease, but were quickly stopped by Kuthian's newest creation- The Demons and Devils, created as servants for the dark Demonic Princes which he was still creating in secret. Lolth was seperated from Correlion in the fighting, and was faced with nine Balors, with their respective armies and dark servants. After four hours of fighting, the head rolled off the last demon, and unto the floor. It is for this feat that Lolth is even today sometimes called Whipbreaker, for the flaming whips which she broke as each Balor fell. Nearby, Correlion had completed a similar feat, and it was for this assualt that the two would be known as the Blade and Bow of Pelor, feared by all things dark. They rushed through the rest of Kuthian's fortress, to the throne room, where Pelor was confronting Kuthian and his dark children. The rest of the surviving gods convened as well, and for the first time in his immortal life, Kuthian felt the spark of fear in his heart. He knelt, and begged for mercy, for both him and his children. Lolth was in favor of dealing with him the way she had dealt with the Balors at the gate, but Pelor stayed her hand, and allowed Kuthian to live. He imprisoned Kuthian deep within Dis, and placed the god Argus, Lord of the Moon, to watch over him. Pelor also ripped the divine spark from the chests of the still sleeping demon lords, and sealed them within the Abyss and the Nine Hells of Baator. All in all, 12 gods died that day, including Argus, who was murdered by Kuthian as he escaped. As for Lolth and Correlion, a bond had formed between them as they fought through hundreds of demons in the vaults of Dis. Her first taste of war had changed Lolth. She agreed to marry Correlion, and he was glad of it. Pelor married the two at the summit of Amahu, and joy was in both their hearts. But the celebrations had to be postponed, as funerals had to be conducted for the dead. Even the gods mourn their departed. After the dead were buried, the gods of Amahu celebrated their victory, and the wedding of two of Amahu's most powerful gods. Both Lolth and Correlion were much loved by the godlings, and all Amahu cheered at their budding love. The wine and Ambrosia flowed like water for a full month. Even Pelor, usually secluded at the top of Amahu, attended, for if he ever left Libra to explore the stars, it would be Correlion and Lolth who he left rulership of creation to. Years passed, and life spread across Libra. Correlion created the race of Elves, and Lolth adopted them as her own children. She was almost more beloved to the Elves than their creator, her husband, though he did not grudge their love to Lolth, for he loved her even more. Other races spread across Libra, the steadfast Dwarves, the crafty and disiplined Hobgoblins, the secretive Aasathi, and finally, the proud race of Men, who the Elves ruled over as great kings. It seemed that the glory of the Empire of the Gods was never to end, but then a shadow fell across the world once again. At first it seemed to be nothing, but then the chill grew. Tiamat was the first to leave Amahu forever, followed by Vangral, Lolth's sister. Kurtulmak, Lord of the Goblins, was thrown out of Amahu for attempting to strike Garl Glittergold dead. Mormo, always cold and distant, left the Celestial Mountain one day and did not return. The Lords of Amahu were leaving, one by one. Hextor, the god of Rulership, was found by his brother, Heironeus in Krakadom, muttering advice to the Charduni about how to wipe out the Dwarves. He was banished instantly. While Heironeus was gone, the god Erynthul took his place as a Lord of Amahu, until Lolth discovered his ploy, and blasted him out of the god's halls. And finally, most devestating of all to Lolth, Grumnsh created a race later to be called Orcs, with the one goal of destroying the Elves, her children. Correlion confronted him, and put out his eye. Grumnsh fled Amahu, bleeding. The Fall of Amahu had begun, and the seeds were set for the Divine War. But there was one more loss yet to come, the Last Sundering, the most devestating to the people of Libra: the loss of Lolth herself. The Fall Lolth bore one child for Correlion, named Ainu, the god of Kings. His birth was celebrated by the gods, as a spark of joy in what promised to be a dark time. Pelor blessed his birth, declaring that in this child would rest the hopes of Amahu. Lolth was glad. She loved her child, and wished the best for him. But she loved just as much her other children, the Elves. She watched with pleasure as they taught Men their culture, and the way of nobility. But then, she watched in horror as the Men rebelled, dragging the Elven Lords out of their castles and murdering them. The Men created their own Empire, out of Nalbadeise, and began to spread across the world like wildfire. Before long, Nalbadeise was the largest power in the known world. Two invasions had been attempted by Men into the Elven Woods, both of which had been averted by sheer luck only. Lolth feared for the future of her children. It would only take one power mad king, and the Elves would be slaves to Men, the very people who her children had uplifted! She took her concerns to her husband, who shared them. They took their case to Pelor himself, who heard their greivences, and assured them that he cared for all of his children equally, and that he would not allow any race to be a slave to another. Lolth went away satisfied. But then some time later, the city of Gil-Galad fell, its' people were tethered to Nalbadeisan rule, and Pelor did nothing. Plauges and scourges swept her people, and still, Pelor did nothing! Correlion still believed in Pelor's rule, and Lolth was patient, out of love for her husband. But a dark voice throbbed in the back of her skull, a voice that did not quiet, not when she slept, not when she ate, not even when she was with her husband, whose comfort usually banished all the cares in the world. The voice told her what had to be done to save her people, and the more she listened, the more she believed it to be right. She took its' counsel, and began to take action. She asked the Elves to meet her at night, in secret, away from the eyes of Pelor, Lord of the Sun. Most were afraid, and did not come, but to those who did, she taught secret magics, and the true arts of war, which she herself had used all those years ago, to slay the demons of Dis. She taught them how to survive the coming onslaught of Men, and how to live as true Elves. The voice taught her other things as well, such as the arts of the shadows, which she then conveyed to her pupils. She could not tell Correlion, or else he would tell Pelor, who had forbidden the teaching of the godly war arts to mortal races. For many years she taught the Elves in secret, until Correlion discovered what was happening under his nose. He was hurt that she would lie to him, and convened a council of the Elven deites to decide what to do with Lolth's Elves. Lolth was hurt that he would hide behind the council, instead of trying to understand that what she had done, she had done people. At the council, Correlion spoke furiously against Lolth's Elves, stating that the godly arts of war, if used on the battlefield, would create unparraleled carnage and destruction. If the Elves learned these arts, they would rush over the world like a fast tide, butchering all in their path, forcing the other gods to teach their races the divine ways if their respective children were to survive. This would, in turn, turn the entire continent of Libra into a bloodbath. Lolth argued back that these arts were not for the conquest of other races, (How would that make the Elves any better than the Men?) but rather were for the defense of the Elven way of life. Correlion countered by stating that the gods were Pelor's children, just as the mortal races were the god's children. If the gods cannot be trusted to follow Pelor's laws and decrees, how can the mortals be trusted to follow the god's rules and decrees? Back and forth they went, up and down the Elven council chambers, argueing points of law, love, and divine decree. And with every word, the happy marriage and close freindship they once had together, slipped away. Eventually, the voted, and upheld Correlion's arguements. Lolth was not allowed to teach the Elves her arts, and those who had learned them would have those memories taken away. In one last touch of the free spirited young girl she once had been, Lolth refused to obey. Instead, she took her students underground, far from the sun. There she branded their skin pure black, as a way of marking them from the other Elves who had abandoned their saviors to the harsh justice of the gods. Lolth named them "Drow", and the other races named them "Dark Elves", for they continued the fight against both Men, and the traitorous Elves. Lolth and Correlion's marriage was ended, and all the love that she had once felt for him, turned to feeling of pure betrayal. Correlion felt only loss, and was from that point on never quite the same. Both of them cried for seven days. In her self-imposed exile, Lolth went mad with feelings of grief and betrayal. The two things that she loved most in life, her husband and the Elves, had both turned their backs on her. She could be heard throughout the Drow caves for many months muttering, "It seems they loved Pelor and his damn "law and order", more than they ever loved me." Soon, even the love she felt for the Drow was twisted by her madness, and by the voice throbbing in her skull. She became a cruel and capricous deity, with all that she once was twisted beyond recognition. The Drow no longer loved their dark savior by the time they settled down in the cold cavens which they now called home. To this day, enscribed on the entrance to the Temple to the Spider Queen, in the cavern city of Ilindil, is a phrase that now sums up the whole of Drow life. It reads, "Fear Her".